Two Events Coming in March

For over 10 years, Funky Finds has been producing some of the best and largest handmade events in the Dallas - Fort Worth Metroplex. On March 9th & 10th, 2019, Funky Finds will host TWO amazing shopping markets at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas.

The 11th Annual Funky Finds Spring Fling will feature over 100 area makers selling items they personally hand-crafted. In addition to the popular handmade artisan market, Funky Finds will be hosting Pearl Snaps & Dust: Upscale Vintage with a Little Bit of Rust.

Through the years, Funky Finds has established a large customer base that values shopping local for unique & funky items. We are excited to offer our loyal event attendees an additional venue offering vintage wares, adding an exciting new dimension to their shopping experience.

Pearl Snaps & Dust will feature live music & we are currently accepting submissions from interested performers. As always, the Spring Fling will include a charitable raffle benefiting CASA of Tarrant County and the Humane Society of North Texas, as well as on-site pet adoptions. Both events will be held side-by-side in the newly renovated Small Exhibits and Cattle 1 buildings at the Will Rogers Memorial Center. The vendor application deadline for both March events is January 6th, 2019.

The 9th Annual Funky Finds Holiday Shopping Experience was held on November 17th and 18th and was enjoyed by thousands of area shoppers that value shopping small & supporting local businesses. A total of $3,605.00 was raised for DFW Toys for Tots and the Humane Society of North Texas and 35 pets were adopted at the event.

Sponsorship & advertising opportunities are also available for both March events. Complete details for vendors, musical performers & business owners wishing to advertise their business can be found at www.FunkyFinds.com.

Detroit Texas Arts Fest

This weekend Funky Finds will be set up at the Detroit Texas Arts Fest. Detroit is located in Northeast Texas near Paris, TX. It's a wonderful small town that works hard to provide the community with a yearly arts fest & antique car show featuring activities for all ages. There will be an all-ages art & photography competition, petting zoo, bounce house, variety of vendors, baked goods, refreshments & much more. Learn more on the Detroit Arts Fest website and Facebook page. (Yes, that is ME standing beside a pink car AND holding a baby kangaroo! Does it get any better than that? I don't think so!)

The Queen's Daughter

Donna Dunagan is a Texas-based crafter who began by designing Barbie clothes & stringing acorns with her mother in the 70's. I had the pleasure of meeting Donna at the Detroit (Texas) Arts Fest last weekend & her embellished hats were hugely popular with girls & women of all ages. Of course, I had to treat myself to a black hat adorned with a flower made of various red & black fabrics that is beyond cute! The Queen's Daughter features hats, as well as original mixed media art pieces. I love the black & ivory chandelier, as well as Queen of This Nest that incorporates antique sheet music. Check out all of Donna's funky offerings at The Shops @ Funky Finds. (pictured: Military Flower Hat - White)

This Week's Events

Friday, June 10
The Urban Growers Market, 4-8pm
One World Merchants, 2315 Main St., Vancouver, WA

Friday, June 10 through Sunday, June 12
Harvest Barn Sale, 10am-5pm
1100 Skillman Ln., Petaluma, CA

Governors Island Pop-Up Shop, (F) 11am-4pm, (S/S) 11am-5pm • Weekends through September 4
Historic Home 6B, Nolan Park, Andes Rd. & Quadrangle Rd., Governors Island,‪ NY

Saturday, June 11
Handmade Canberra, 10am-4pm
The National Convention Centre, 31 Constitution Ave., Canberra ACT

Soulard Market Park Arts & Crafts Show, 9am-3pm
Soulard Park, 9th & Lafayette, St. Louis, MO

indiemade craft market, 10am-5pm
Bethlehem Ice Rink, Illicks Mill Rd., Bethlehem, PA

INDIEana Handicraft Exchange, Noon-8pm
Harrison Center for the Arts, 1505 N. Delaware St.,
Indianapolis, IN

Paper Cowgirl Vendor Night, 7-9:30pm
Waxahachie Civic Center, 1950 N. I-35 East, Waxahachie, TX

Ballston Arts & Crafts Market, 10am-4pm
Welburn Square, btwn N. Stuart & N. 9th Streets, Arlington, VA

2nd Saturday, 6-9pm
State St., Media, PA

Craft Candy June Mini Fair, 1-5pm
Bungalows and Bears, Division St., Sheffield, UK

The Providence Open Market, 10am-2pm
Every Saturday through September 24
Lippitt Park, 1015 Hope St., Providence, RI

Saturday, June 11 & Sunday, June 12
Renegade Craft Fair, 11am-7pm
McCarren Park, 780 Lorimer St., Brooklyn, NY

Talbot Street Art Fair, (Sat) 10am-6pm, (Sun) 10am-5pm
Talbott Street between 16th & 20th, Indianapolis, IN

Pirate Festival & Classic Boat Show, 10am-6pm
Long Island Maritime Museum, 86 West Ave., West Sayville, NY

Old Town Art Fair, 10am-6pm
Main Gate at Lincoln & Wisconsin, Chicago, IL

Wine & Clay Festival, (Sat) 10am-5pm, (Sun) Noon-5pm
Llano Estacado Winery, 3426 E. FM 1585, Lubbock, TX

Annapolis Arts & Crafts Festival, (Sat) 10am-6pm,
(Sun) 10am-5pm
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, 550 Taylor Ave., Annapolis, MD

Sunday, June 12
Uptown Trolley Stop Market, 11am-4pm
McKinney Avenue Contemporary Parking Lot,
3120 McKinney Ave., Dallas, TX

This Week's Events

Thursday, June 2
Speakeasy's Fine Art Show, 7-11pm
The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. West, Toronto, ON

DADA BAZAAR, 8pm-2am
DADA, 52 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach, FL

Friday, June 3
Creative Finds Community Market, 3-8pm
Jessie Lee Elementary, 2064 154th St., Surrey, BC

June Art & Coffee, 7:30-10:30pm
It's A Grind Coffee House, 2901 Indiana Blvd., Dallas, TX

Friday, June 3 through Sunday, June 12
Three Rivers Arts Festival
803 Liberty Ave., Pittsburgh, PA

Saturday, June 4
Maker’s Market, 9am-Noon
Annmarie Garden Sculpture Park & Arts Center, 13480 Dowell Rd., Dowell, MD

54th & Monon Art Fair, 10am-4pm
1057 E. 54th St., Indianapolis, IN

Queen City Craft Bazaar, 10am-6pm
Union Station, One Main St., Burlington, VT

Freret Market, Noon-5pm
4421 Freret St., New Orleans, LA

Craft-O-Matic, 11am-11pm
Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, MO

Home & Handmade Market, 8am-2pm
Jackson Street between La Salle & Clinton Streets, Ottawa, IL

Etsy Denton Summer Bazaar, 10am-4pm
Greater Denton Arts Council (aka Center for Visual Arts), 400 E. Hickory St., Denton, TX

Saturday Vintage Market, 10am-4pm
The Vintage Vault, 6001 W. William Cannon Dr., Ste. 305B, Austin, TX

Whole Foods Market's HollyWOOF, 10am-2pm
Whole Foods Hollywood, 4301 NE Sandy Blvd., Portland, OR

The City Flea, 11am-5pm
W. Central Pkwy. & Vine St. at the Cincinnatus Mural, Cincinnati, OH

Doing the Unstinkable, 11am-5pm
PASTE, 1009 Russell Blvd., St. Louis, MO

St. Jude Catholic Women's Organization Jewel & Junk Trunk Sale, 8am-2pm
St. Jude Catholic Church, 500 Dallas St., Mansfield, TX

Saturday, June 4 & Sunday, June 5
Midwest Craft Caucus
Economic & Community Development Institute, 1655 Old Leonard Ave., Columbus, OH

White Plains Outdoor Arts Festival, 10am-5pm
Tibbits Park, 1 N. Broadway, White Plains, NY

The Farm Chicks Antiques Show, (Sat) 10am-6pm, (Sun) 10am-4pm
Spokane Co. Fair & Expo Center, 404 N. Havana St., Spokane Valley, WA

Spring Puces POP, 11am-6pm
St. Enfant de Jesus Church, Corner of St. Dominique & St. Joseph, Montreal, QC

Peacefest #3, 11am-7pm
L.A. Cafe, 5818 Dixie Hwy., Waterford, MI

Sunday, June 5
First Sunday Arts Festival, Noon-5pm
Calvert & West St., Annapolis, MD

Portsmouth Open Market, 10am-4pm
Strawbery Banke Museum, 14 Hancock St., Portsmouth, NH

Clover Market, 10am-4pm
12 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore, PA

45th Media Art Exhibition & Craft Fair, 9am-5pm
Veterans Sq. & W. State St., Media, PA

18th Annual Fishkill Craft Fair, 11am-4pm
Village Square Plaza, 986 Main St., Fishkill, NY

Takoma Park Jazz Festival, 11am-6pm
Old Town Takoma Park, Carroll Ave., Takoma Park, MD

juNxtaposition

Pennsylvania-based juNxtaposition features unique accessories created using a variety of recycled materials by Jeanne Cherry. She has taken old typewriter keys and converted into rings, pendants and bracelets giving them new life. The keys make great monogram pendants or, if you prefer a larger key with text, there's several to choose from. I especially love the bracelets that can be customized with seven keys of your choosing. juNxtaposition also offers bubble pendants that showcase pieces of dictionary pages and vintage sheet music. And if that wasn't enough for you, be sure to check out the vintage spoon jewelry that are not only unique in appearance but also have reflexology properties.

Weekend Events

WHAT: Clutter City Market
WHEN: Saturday, September 26; 10am-4pm
WHERE: Norwich, UK

WHAT: Old Pecan Street Festival
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 26, 11am - 10pm; Sunday, Sept. 27, 11am - 8pm
WHERE: Austin, TX

WHAT: Strange Folk Festival
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 26 & Sunday, Sept. 27, 10am - 6pm
WHERE: O'Fallon, IL

WHAT: Market SF: iB Crafty
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 26, 12-6pm
WHERE: San Francisco, CA

WHAT: Marburger Farm Antique Show
WHEN: Tuesday, September 29 - Saturday, October 3
WHERE: Round Top, TX

Key(s) to Happiness

1. Access necklace by Enamored

2. Skeleton Key Tee by Cram Creative

3. Hey Taxi necklace by Counting Stitches

4. Skeleton key rubber stamp by Norajane

Blue Nostalgia Jewelry

Blue Nostalgia Jewelry features beautiful designs created by Ohio-based designer Ashley Davis. I love the Whisper earrings that are created using aqua chalcedony faceted pear briolettes on hand-forged and antiqued pure copper swirl ear wires. I also like the pieces featuring sparrows, such as the Fly Away and Pretty Bird necklaces. And how gorgeous are The Darkness in the Light earrings? Receive a 10% discount on any order by entering the code "FunkyFinds10" in message to seller at checkout. The 10% discount will be refunded after completed payment via PayPal.

GIVEAWAY: Enter to win a $20.00 gift certificate to use toward anything in the Blue Nostalgia Jewelry shop (shipping included). Simply visit Blue Nostalgia and leave a comment on this post noting your favorite design. Giveaway is only open to US and Canada residents. Giveaway ends at Midnight EST, Tuesday, August 4.

Steampunk Fashions

Although there is no singular definition of steampunk fashion, there are defining aspects. Steampunk is a historical-based eclectic blend of old world items paired with contemporary pieces. Many also associate goth, punk and industrial styles with the SP genre. According to Wikipedia, steampunk is a sub-genre of fantasy and speculative fiction that came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian era England—but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date.

The steampunk fashions & accessories I found on Etsy typically incorporate watch and clock parts, corsets, and feather embellishments. MadArt Jewelry features pieces created by award-winning metalsmith Madelyn Smoak who uses silver, copper, brass and found objects enhanced by using textures and patinas. The Steampunk Bling Necklace is created using an antique safety pinion from a defunct pocket watch, vintage rhinestones, a metal washer that completes the steampunk vibe. Machinist goggles are also staples in the world of steampunk fashion.


SteamPunk Magazine is a publication dedicated to promoting steampunk as a culture, as more than a sub-category of fiction. The publication praises a time before the domestication of electricity when beautiful, monstrous machines lived and breathed and exploded unexpectedly at inconvenient moments. A time where art and craft were united, where unique wonders were invented and forgotten.

This is most likely the root of the DIY aspect that is so evident in steampunk fashion. 19 Moons offers original Steampunk, Neo-Victorian, Retro & Industrial designs. Designs like the clockwork seahorse are imaginative & captivating mechanical pieces.

If you are interested in trying your hand at creating your own steampunk accessories, there are many sources for unique supplies, such as Etsy and EBay. Time Travel Tea Party offers antique skeleton keys and watch faces.

I encourage you to attend The Brass Ball on March 13 if you are in the Dallas/Fort Worth area to see Steampunk fashion up close & personal. The DIY fashion show will feature the new spring collection of Lip Service clothiers along with stylist & accessories designer Tara to the T's creations. Steampunk vendors will be on-hand selling jewelry and other items, so don't forget your cash!

Adorn You

Adorn You features the unique adornments created by Sharon Muttoo. First introduced to the world of beads five years ago, Sharon says she has enjoyed the multitude of styles and techniques that are sure to keep her interested for a long time. Many of her pieces have a beautiful antique style, such as the Cognac Bombs. The Victorian-esque Amethyst Rose Trellises are also gorgeous. The pair of funky heart earrings that are currently on sale are wonderful, as well. And for those of us who wishes their honey would whisk them away to Paris, there is the Take Me To Paris set. Be sure to browse through all of the designs offered at Adorn You, as you do not want to miss any of the lovely designs.

Wishful Thinking

Wishful Thinking is a great shop full of unique vintage finds. Owner Melinda loves spending hours browsing antique stores & bringing home something from the past. I share her love for antique shopping, as many of you do. It's fun trying to imagine who bought something as extraordinary as a cast iron jackass. The tall milkglass vase is a timeless piece that will look beautiful in any space. I have always been a fan of the classic Winnie the Pooh & would love to add the book by A.A. Milne to my collection. Wishful Thinking is a great source for distinctive vintage & antique items. Check back often for new additions in the shop.

Sweet Harvest Farms

CJ of Sweet Harvest Farms creates soap that soothes, nurtures and hydrates your skin. The specially formulated soap leaves you squeaky clean while giving you soft, supple and moisturized skin. Also available is Homemade All Natural Doggy Soaps that repel fleas & leave even the thickest of coats soft, manageable & smelling wonderful. CJ's main website showcases an eclectic blend of primitive wares, Folk Art, collectibles and antiques. Check back often for new treasures!

Terri Ventura - Giveaway

Terri Ventura is a talented artist & designer who recently began selling her wares online. Terri incorporates antique found objects dating from the 1890s to the 1970s. Her mantra “Never throw anything away; you just never know when you’ll need it” is evident in the unique pieces she creates. In addition to Terri's website, Vintage Treasures, you can also purchase her goods at ABC Carpet & Home in New York, NY, and online at Glitter and Grunge. Another exciting facet of Terri's career is the fact that she teaches various classes at Tinsel Trading, a craft store in New York often frequented by Martha Stewart. Learn more about Terri Ventura via her blog Dime Store Daze.

*Giveaway: Enter for your chance to win a pair of Terri Ventura's collage earrings*. Visit her website and leave a comment on this post noting one of your favorite products. Contest ends at midnight on Thursday, May 22nd.
*Earrings created using Terri's original collages, jade beads & Swarovski Crystals on silver plated lever back wires. 1 3/4" dangle

Eclectic Elements

Eclectic Elements specializes in jewelry that incorporates fun and funky game pieces into their unique designs. I especially like the game piece bracelet made of recycled vintage bone and bamboo Mah Jong tiles. The multicolored Mah Jong bracelets are also very cool. And any wild woman would love the purple skull poker chip necklace! Don't miss the colorful pieces which utilize various styles of dice, as well as dominoes.